It’s not often that someone becomes a journalist at 10 years old. But that’s what Overland Park resident and Blue Valley student Varun Kabra did.
He says he’s always enjoyed writing, so when he caught wind of the Scholastic Kids Press Corp’s “Kid Reporter” program, he jumped at the chance to give it a try.
Four years later, his time in the program is coming to an end. Scholastic makes the opportunity available to students across the country between the ages of 10 to 14.
Kabra has covered politics, music and current events
Kabra, who will be a high school freshman next year in the Blue Valley School District, heard about the program from a fellow Scholastic kid reporter, his older sister, Aanya.
He decided to apply in 2020, submitting a story about a local nonprofit’s blood drive.
“I saw this program as an amazing opportunity for those who want to try journalism,” he said.
It sounded cool, he said, and he expected the program to also give him a chance to hone his writing skills. But as he started interviewing sources and seeking out stories, it became much more than that.
“It gave me so many opportunities, and I learned about so many new things,” he said. “I wasn’t really expecting that. It turned out way better than I expected.”
Throughout his four years as a kid reporter, Kabra conducted interviews and wrote articles during school breaks and in his free time — balancing his reporting with his other hobbies, including playing the cello with the Kansas City Youth Chamber Musicians.
His coverage for Scholastic spanned a wide range of topics, from politics and music to current events.
He has sat down with accomplished individuals, including acclaimed Indian tabla player Zakir Hussain, teenage scientist and inventor Gitanjali Rao, who was named TIME’s “Kid of the Year” and path-breaking Tennessee state representative Torrey Harris.
And when the Kansas City Chiefs scored their second Super Bowl win in three years in 2023, he was there in downtown Kansas City interviewing elated fans in the crowd of the team’s celebratory parade.
It’s hard to choose a favorite story, Kabra said, but the one he did about Joe Whale — the viral artist also known across the world as “Doodle Boy” — might take the cake.
“When I interviewed him, he was around my age,” he said. “It was interesting to see how he loved art and gained a passion for art, and how he makes his famous black and white murals. That interview was very fascinating to me.”
“Kid Reporter” program taught Kabra new skills
During the experience, Kabra said he did get to improve his writing and speaking skills as expected. But through his interviews with inspiring figures, he also got to learn about people as a whole and how their journeys to success can all look different.
“They’ve provided me with the fundamentals of life and (taught me about) how they go on and accomplish such great things,” he said. “That has definitely helped me.”
To anyone looking to become the next Scholastic Kid Reporter, he said the effort is definitely worth it.
“This program offers you many more things than you would expect,” he said. “It helps you grow in a lot of different skills, and it’s amazing to meet new people.”
Find more information about the program here.
Related news: Read JoCo teen’s essay on space exploration that caught NASA’s attention
